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REFERENCE

hilarious

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //hɪˈɫɛɹiəs// UK //hɪlˈeəɹɪəs// hi·lar·i·ous General-service

adj. extremely funny. You use this when something makes you laugh a lot, not just a little bit.

adj. extremely amusing or funny. Often non-gradable; because it already contains the idea of 'very', it is typically modified by 'absolutely' or 'totally' rather than 'very'.


SIMPLE

The comedian told a hilarious story about his cat.

CONTEXTUAL

We spent the entire dinner laughing because my brother's travel stories were absolutely hilarious.

COMPLEX

The play's success relies on a series of hilarious misunderstandings that escalate until the final curtain falls on a scene of total chaos.

Synonyms
Origin

Learned borrowing from Latin hilaris (“cheerful”) + -ous, from Ancient Greek ἱλαρός (hilarós, “cheerful, merry”).

Usage

Often follows a linking verb or sits before a noun; as an extreme adjective, it is rarely paired with 'very'.

Pitfall

It was a very hilarious movie.It was an absolutely hilarious movie.Hilarious is an extreme adjective; use 'absolutely' or 'totally' instead of 'very' for emphasis.

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